Nina Bradley, 1917-2011

Nina Leopold Bradley, 93, died Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at her home on the Leopold Reserve near Baraboo, Wis.

A public memorial service is tentatively planned for early August.

She was born Aug. 4, 1917, in Albuquerque, N.M., the third child of famed conservationist Aldo Leopold and Estella Bergere Leopold, of a prominent Spanish family in New Mexico.

Nina will be remembered as a scientist, conservationist, philosopher, and humanitarian by an international community of colleagues. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin in geography, she worked during World War II for Dr. Thomas Park on the Tribolium project at the University of Chicago studying insect populations. With her first husband, zoologist William Elder of the University of Missouri, she collaborated on studies of Canada geese in Illinois, ducks in Manitoba, big game populations in Africa, and the nearly extirpated Nene geese in Hawaii. She had been the recipient of numerous awards, including the distinguished service award of the Society of Conservation Biology, and honorary doctorates from Northland College and the University of Wisconsin.

Beginning in 1935, Nina spent many happy weekends with her family at the Leopold shack near Baraboo, participating in one of the world’s first wildland restoration projects. Along with her second husband, Charles Bradley, she rekindled the “axe-in-hand” philosophy of her father, establishing the Bradley Study Center on the Leopold Reserve along the Wisconsin River in 1976. This work included creation of a graduate ecological research program in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin and expansion of the land restoration and phenological observation that her family had begun so many years ago. The work of Nina and Charles was instrumental in the establishment of the internationally recognized Aldo Leopold Foundation and the construction of the Leopold Center.

Nina is survived by her sister, Dr. Estella Leopold of Seattle Wash.; her daughters, Nina Loeffel of Waunakee, Wis., and Trish Stevenson of Black Earth Wis.; her stepchildren Charles Bradley Jr. of Portage, Wis., and Dorothy Bradley of Bozeman, Mont.; along with grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and her devoted companions, Teresa Mayer and Rochelle Goedken.

She was preceded in death by her brothers, Starker, Luna, and Carl.

Nina’s family and friends will most remember her boundless generosity, wisdom and grace. She has been and will remain an inspiration to all.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Aldo Leopold Foundation, Box 77, Baraboo, Wis. 53913.

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